


...Like Clockwork

by Palmtree_Panicking



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
Genre: Drabble, Fluff and Humor, Light Angst, Post-Breath of the Wild, Selectively Mute Link (Legend of Zelda), hes babey, i would be too tbh, link is a lil bit freaked out, the link from link's awakening is a toy, there's link from link's awakening but there's no specific link tag oops, zelda wants answers ghjfh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-27
Updated: 2019-10-27
Packaged: 2021-01-04 11:43:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21197108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Palmtree_Panicking/pseuds/Palmtree_Panicking
Summary: Link finds a peculiar wind-up toy at the Sacred Grounds Ruins, and Zelda ends up more interested in it than she thought she'd be.





	...Like Clockwork

**Author's Note:**

> [title references two things: a rock album, and the inner workings of a wind-up toy. you learn something new every day!]

* * *

When Zelda first laid her eyes on the miniature wind-up toy in Link’s hands, she expected nothing of it. 

It’s a bite-size replica of an interpretation of the legendary hero, from ten-thousand years ago. It’s clad in green, an-adorably tiny sword on its back, and two beady eyes that make it look more like a friend than a warrior. If Zelda had this certain toy as a young child, she would’ve adored it to death.

“...Where did you even find this?” The short-haired blonde realizes, with Link casually shrugging his shoulders. “And is there any other reason you’re showing it to me, besides the fact that it looks cute?”

Then the figure suddenly tilts its head up, and looks Zelda straight in the eye, blinking. The gear on its back _ click-clicks  _ away.

Zelda’s eyes widen. She looks from the… _ toy,  _ and back to Link, who simply gazes at her with his iconic, thin-lipped ‘you tell me’ look. She looks back down, and the figure turns around, watching its surroundings. 

It slowly blinks, once more, and then it _ violently  _ whips out its sword, leaping from Link’s palms and into the grass below.

“Wait!” Zelda quickly picks it up, cupping the small, sentient toy, despite its tiny, adorable grunts of protest. “How did this even happen? Did you cause this?” She looks back up to her companion, who slowly shakes his head.

Zelda repeats the same action, from toy to boy, cocking a brow. “...It kind of looks like you.”

Ignoring the blush that comes over Link’s face, the figure glares at the princess, holding its harmlessly-plastic sword towards her. It shuffles in each direction, as if trying to circle Zelda - despite being held in her hands.

“Strange…” She tries her best not to laugh at the toy’s display of - if she were to be in its shoes for a moment - plain-stupid bravery. “I’m not sure if Sheikah technology is able to affect objects other than the Guardians, so... hmm… it couldn’t be Calamity Ganon, either…”

Link furrows his brows.  _ “He’s gone.”  _ His voice is a whisper, quiet and husky. His hands continuously move below, and he nods towards the hero toy in Zelda’s hands. _ I found him in the Sacred Ground Ruins. He was standing there, alone, in the centre. _

Zelda hums in thought, her eyes trained on the toy below; whom still holds out its sword. “That’s where ceremonies used to take place, if I recall correctly.” Ignoring the grimace from Link, she continues. “Maybe someone left it there… and maybe it was… _ possessed,  _ somehow?”

Link gives her a deadpan look, one eyebrow raised. _ Who would possess a child’s toy? _

As if on cue, the figure whirls around, a sad pout on its face.

“Aw, Link! Don’t say that!” Even Zelda is swayed, as she mirrors the toy’s expression, her eyes shining with concern. “...Wait, did you say it was just… standing alone by itself?”

Link nods. The toy lets out a quiet “ee”, and starts wandering on the Great Plateau that is Zelda’s hands.

The princess observes it for a minute, as her knight gets up and sits beside her, questions overflowing the two. Zelda’s expression softens even more, somehow, as she observes the pint-sized hero in her palms; the sound of a hypnotizing  _ click-click  _ accompanying their every movement.

“I wonder,” Zelda mummers in thought, her gaze stuck on the doll. “If it was there for a reason.”

The toy looks back in the direction of the Sacred Grounds, and sits down. 

A small sigh escapes its lips, a certain sadness of sorts washing over its features.

_ Should we… take it back?  _ Now Link looks worried for the doll, as he carefully signs the words forward.

Zelda sighs wistfully. “I suppose so, if that’s where you found it.”

Even as the words tumble out, the pair still sit, watching over the wind-up toy, its fabric-woven cap fluttering in the breeze.

In the flooded crevices of the Sacred Ground Ruins, sits a worn, red hibiscus flower. 

A single petal tears off in the breeze, drifting onto the ruin’s pedestal.

**Author's Note:**

> hiiiii!! i actually wanted to reference this concept, whether in drawing or by writing, so here we are! i think the concept of LA Link being a literal toy is adorable and the art style for link's awakening is the best thing ive ever seen ;w; that, and it was my first zelda game (the GBC one, anyway), so i have lots of love for it :D
> 
> this is my first time writing zeld, besides that one wind waker AU i wrote three years prior and never published oops -- either way, thank you so much for reading!! <333


End file.
